Challenging the Komrev King
by Jet556
Summary: The Komrev are on the warpath. Raiding villages for their food, they are lead by an albino named Thulsa. When the village that Gard, his family his friends call home is raided from, Balor goes to challenge Thulsa to prove he's more than just a kid shaman. Brigid, and the Wilys go with him thinking he's going in over his head.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to my new story everyone. Lets just get on with the show. Enjoy.**

**Crinan against Thulsa**

The Komrev sat outside of their cavern. Amongst the trees and rocks, they went about their lives. The young played, the adults sat, foraged, hunted, fought.

Crinan sat watching his troupe. All of them he knew, all of them he saw, none were missing.

As he sat, Crinan thought of Balor. That young Evabon… He was a threat no doubt, they always were. He would crush Balor sooner or later he would crush that child. And that would put his fear of a future threat to rest.

His thoughts were brought away by the arrival of a stranger. An albino male Komrev was charging towards him with a large tree limb in hand.

Thulsa this stranger would come to be named and he had come to take the leadership of the troupe. Long time, Thulsa had watched and never had Crinan noticed. He wanted to use the males of the troupe to raid every village he came across in the area to steal their food.

Crinan charged at his attacker. Not a wise thing to do. Thulsa just beat him until Crinan's entire face was bleeding black blood. After he had done enough to Crinan's face, Thulsa turned his attention to Crinan's right arm and proceeded to break it with the tree limb. When he was done with that, he started to hit Crinan's back until he retreated.

Thulsa threw the tree limb aside and growled triumphantly. He had a troupe and now, he'd raid the villages!


	2. Chapter 2

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**The Elephant Evabon**

An axe with a knucker emblem on it was the focus of Balor's attention. The axe was very old, from before Gard's time. It had been used by Gard's first ancestor and had since become a family heirloom.

Balor and Kat both looked at the axe lying on the cave floor. To Balor it was a piece of his heritage to Kat it was a cool looking axe of the tomahawk variety.

As for Brigid and Kit, it was just a weapon. They had seen plenty of weapons. Why should one more make such a difference?

"Look at the exquisite work on the knucker emblem!" Balor's exclamation caused Kat to look at him.

"Have you been hanging around Dalv again?" Balor didn't answer Kat's question. "You have! Why spend time with him when his descendant can't even understand what he says?"

Kit was less than impressed with how her brother was behaving. "WilyKat, that's not nice! Kernunnos is just as smart as anyone else is!"

"Sis, he's a half-wit!"

"He's the big brother I don't have anymore no matter how smart he is!" Balor's defending of Dalv's sixteen-year old descendant was admirable but there was no arguing about the facts of how low Kernunnos' intelligence was. He didn't speak much, was strong, rather ugly but a kind-hearted artist.

"Yeah, well I still don't understand why out of all the descendants he has Dalv had to choose the dumbest to bring. Why not that 'great mathematician' he went on for a whole afternoon about?"

"Well, I like Kernunnos." Brigid walked over to Balor and kissed his cheek. "And it's good to see that I'm not the only one who does."

Kit couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. Brigid was her friend and she seemed to love Balor too. She didn't know why, Brigid didn't know Balor as long as she had! Brigid simply had no right to kiss Balor on the cheek! Young love was a fickle thing.

"I like him too but I just think Kernunnos would be safer in a freak show! He's not good looking as Evabon go-" That did not come out right. Instead of saying Kernunnos would be gawked at, he had somehow accidentally said that Evabon were mainly an ugly race. Kernunnos had thick and lumpy skin, his lips, feet and right hand were enlarged, there was a bony lump on his forehead and he was lame in his right leg. The "Elephant Evabon" was what people called him. Sure, Kat was merely saying that Kernunnos would be safer amongst others with abnormalities but he had somehow come across as racist.

Sure enough, Balor and Kat ended up fighting when Gard and Panthro walked in. Well, it wasn't as much fighting as Kat on the ground while Balor slammed his fists against him while Brigid and Kit tried to pull Balor off of Kit. It was ultimately Panthro who separated the two.

"Alright, you two! That's enough." Gard took Balor from Panthro and put him onto a ledge in the cave. "I don't know what this is all about but its over now." Gard then took his young descendant down from the ledge and put him down. "Now apologize, both of you!"

The two didn't say they were sorry. Kat didn't think a lot of Evabon were ugly but he didn't think a lot of them were good looking either. Balor had taken it personally and didn't feel like apologizing for. The two just left the cave and went in separate directions.


	3. Chapter 3

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**A Broken Giant**

Balor had left the island that was now his home. It was better that he be away from that place and go deeper into the wilderness. He wanted to find some secret that the wilderness jealously guarded, something that even Gard didn't know about. Surely that would take his mind off of Kat's prejudice!

It was at this point that he had come across Crinan. The komrev who had always been a threat to Balor suddenly seemed less threatening. With bleeding face, broken right arm and horribly beaten back Crinan was not the same anymore. There was something sad about him.

"What happened to you?" Crinan just looked at Balor. He didn't even care. The Evabon boy was right there. With his good arm he could have crushed Balor but he didn't. He just lied there on his back staring at Balor. The proud, vicious eyes were missing the pride and the viciousness. There was an empty look to them. "What's wrong?" Balor sat down on Crinan's chest. The male komrev didn't even try to attack him. "If you could speak Evabonese like me that would be something. I'd really like to know what happened to you, not everyday a great bully like you ends up a broken giant!" Crinan gave a weak growl. Wasn't much of anything to go by! It told Balor nothing about what happened to Crinan. Crinan was probably just saying "Get off my chest." Crinan then reached his good hand towards Balor's neck only for it to comes falling back to the ground. "Can't even attack me. Poor old fellow, what could have done this to you?" Crinan's huge jaws moved and it seemed to him as if the sounds coming from them were almost sentient.

"Albino." He seemed to say. "Albino, challenger, usurper, king."

And so it was that Balor knew. Crinan was no longer leader of his group. An albino had taken Crinan's place after defeating him in a fight. This albino needed a name. Balor had known an albino Evabon back in his old village, an outsider known as Thulsa the Killer who met a rather anti-climatic death by choking on a nosebleed. So he'd name this albino komrev Thulsa.

But where was Thulsa now?


	4. Chapter 4

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**The First Attack**

Thulsa and the male komrev had all come from the caves they called home to an Evabon farm, in a clearing off the island. It was here that an Evabon named Osrik and his wife Zula made their home. It was here that Thulsa would attack first. Sure enough they came and began to feast on the crops. Well, Thulsa feasted the other komrev were unsure. Ultimately, they did end up joining in.

It was this point that Osrik, a green skinned Evabon in his mid thirties, came running from his house with an axe in hand. He waved his axe around while shouting at the beasts that towered over him. "Be gone, you mockeries of Evabon!" It was at this point that Thulsa stood up growling. "I'll kill you, if you don't!" Then Thulsa was upon Osrik!

Zula, a black skinned Evabon in her mid thirties, went running from their house. It wasn't too far from the lake where the island was. On the shore were Zuvowang and Dalv fixing nets and that is where Zula found them and told the two what was happening. "Komrev! They are killing my husband!" Instantly Zuvowang took up a club and began to beat a nearby drum.

Gard heard it and jumped from the shore of the island to the opposite shore, or at least he tried. The farthest he could jump, like any adult Evabon of his height, was thirty feet. Gard ended up five feet away from shore. He had thought the opposite shore would have been closer. Zula explained to Gard what was happening and so it was that Gard, Zuvowang and Dalv ran to the rescue.

The komrev hid amongst the tallest crops in waiting for the Evabon to come. They had heard the drum they knew what was coming. When Gard, Zuvowang and Dalv did arrive the Komrev came out of hiding and attacked. They didn't get to causing any harm because Gard and Dalv took their guns from their holsters and started to shoot at the Komrev. The first komrev to retreat was Thulsa and when he retreated to did all the rest.


	5. Chapter 5

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**Off to challenge Thulsa**

When Balor arrived on the scene, Osrik was drinking from leaf that been filled with water in the previous night's rainstorm. Gard, Zuvowang, and Dalv had been joined by Brigid, the ThunderCats, and many others. They were all interested in what happened.

Instantly, he ran over to Osrik. He was as close to being a farmer as an Evabon could be. All he did was watch over a patch of crops that had started growing in that spot naturally. Fruit, vegetables, he and Zula just watched the spot and took care of whatever grew there. It varied from fruit to vegetables depending on the season. It was how Evabon farmed.

"I can't remember how many of them there was, I just remember that big white one with red eyes!" Osrik took another sip from the leaf. "It was like a ghost out of my darkest nightmares!" Again he sipped from the leaf. "They just seemed to want the crops. Had I known they would have attacked then I wouldn't have tried to chase them away."

Gard nodded and placed a hand on Osrik's shoulder. "I prefer to not cause animals any harm but it was an unfortunate…" Gard closed his good eye, "requirement."

Lion-O crossed his arms. He couldn't help but think back to when he met Gard. "You killed that Mumm-Ra Monkey."

"Don't remind me, I was a different person then." Gard patted the head of a nearby tolac. "Right, we need a plan." Gard then removed his headband showing a horrid scar upon his forehead. Those who knew Gard had never seen him without the headband and were indeed shocked to see the scar. As he rubbed the headband against a scar on his cheek, people started to talk.

They talked about what to do. Zuvowang, always enjoying a good fight, lamented having not done anything. Dalv couldn't help but stare in disbelief along with the ThunderCats.

Balor walked over to Osrik and tugged on his arm while he kept sipping on the leaf. It was a big leaf and there was a lot of water in it. "Which way did those komrev go?"

Osrik looked down at Balor. "Why do you ask that? You spend time with them you know where they live! Go there!"

Zula, Osrik's wife just shook her head. Osrik could be such trouble. She pointed in the direction the komrev had gone. Balor smiled and gave a nod in thanks.

He was off to stop Thulsa!


	6. Chapter 6

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**Reasoning **

For Balor, like any Evabon living in a heavily forested area, the safest path to travel was through the trees. The tracks told him that the komrev were travelling by the ground. By going through the trees he'd catch up to them quickly enough. Even from the trees, Balor could see the tracks of the komrev. But as the sunset, he finally sat down to rest.

Looking up to see the moon in the sky, Balor climbed down the tree he was in. The night's shadows would hide him.

As soon as Balor reached the ground the sounds of annoyed groans came to his ears. To his surprise who should appear but Brigid, Kat and Kit?

"What are you three doing here?"

Balor's question caused strange looks. What where they doing? What was he doing?

"We are following you! What are you doing this far from the village?" Brigid's question was a just one. Balor wasn't the sort to seek death, everyone agreed on that.

"I'm going after Thulsa!"

"Thulsa?"

"The albino!"

Both Kat and Kit were aghast! Balor had already named this new komrev?

Kit shook her head. Balor had gone insane, he must have! That was the only answer! "Thulsa will kill you! Let Gard or another of the adults handle him!"

"I killed Sotark and I don't really need to kill Thulsa, just… Uh…"

Brigid and Kit couldn't help but look at Balor in question. Balor had mentioned his killing Sotark a few times. Brigid believed that Balor had exaggerated quite a bit of his telling. Kit, who had been present, couldn't help but think Balor had been lucky.

"Sotark was a giant freak of nature…" Kat swallowed nervously. He had learned that Evabon had outlawed the practice of making Evabon that large simply because the combination of excessive inbreeding, crossbreeding with komrev and selective culling of offspring had become considered unethical. It was better to say 'freak of nature' than 'freak of society.' "Thulsa is a normal sized monster."

Balor snapped his fingers. "I've got it! I'll lure him out onto branches that won't support his weight!" He hadn't even been listening. Or he had and this was just to get back at Kat for that prejudiced comment.

Needless to say, Kat was not happy.

This was all forgotten when the stench of death came to their attention. Normally, one would not go in search of it, especially since in the wilderness death was nothing our of the ordinary, but given the circumstances one could not help but think that there was a connection to Thulsa.

They were right!

The source of the stench was a dead komrev. A fatal wound from a laser had gotten him it had been from either Gard or Dalv. There were a number of tracks going away from the body, all in the same direction. There was one set however that did not go in that direction. This set of tracks had four toes on the right foot. Thulsa maybe? It must have been! These tracks weren't known to Balor, just as Thulsa was not. So Thulsa travelled alone…

The tracks had come to a fruit tree. It would seem that Thulsa had stopped to eat.

Balor took a fruit from the tree and took a bite. It was quite good Thulsa had good taste in food.

"Why do you want to fight Thulsa?" Balor looked at Kat. His question was a good one. His question was an honest one.

"I just want to prove that I'm not helpless. I've been hurt a lot and I can't help but think that people think less of me."


	7. Chapter 7

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**War Gathering**

Komrev flew through the trees! Their shadows falling upon Balor and his friends!

Now where were they going?

Balor jumped into a tree and started to follow. Brigid and the Wilys both let out a sigh. He was always on the move it seemed today! They had no choice but to follow. If they didn't who knew what trouble he'd get into?

Following the Komrev they came to a small clearing. Thulsa was there, flailing his arms about, stamping his feet and roaring at the top of his lungs! All of the young males were doing the same while the older males sat at the edge of the clearance watching the event before them.

"What a nightmarish sound!" Brigid placed her hands over her ears. That noise of the komrev making was bloodcurdling! It was horrible! She couldn't bear to hear it!

Kit placed a hand on Brigid's shoulder. She didn't like the komrev's caterwauling either. There was just something about it. Ever since they had gotten to know Gard, the fear the Wilys had for the wilderness had vanished. Hearing that bloodcurdling cry brought back much of the fear they once had.

"No need to be afraid of a bit of noise!" Brigid and Kit both looked at Balor. He picked a particularly overripe fruit and looked down at Thulsa. "Just a bit of a war gathering that needs to broken up!" Balor was about to throw the overripe fruit but stopped. "No, need something better." He threw the fruit aside, nearly hitting both Brigid and Kit while Kat gave Balor a questioning look. Balor then spied an abandoned nest with rotten eggs in it. "Ah, there we go!" He went over to the nest and grabbed one egg. "Here we go!"

Kat's questioning look turned into one of disbelief. "He's not really going to throw that is he?"

Balor threw the rotten egg and he hit it right dab in Thulsa's face. Naturally, the albino komrev was not a little angry. All of the other komrev were shocked! Who had thrown a rotten egg at Thulsa the Killer?

"Up here, Thulsa!" Balor broke off a thick branch that he was strong enough to break off and leapt down. "I am Balor of Mykenae! These komrev are my friends and I won't let you lead them to death! Fight me, living ghost! You'll learn that small things can overcome the large the heard way!" Kit let out a sigh. Balor had let his killing of Sotark go to his head.


	8. Chapter 8

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**The Small against the Large**

Thulsa grunted and beat his chest! He then walked over to a medium sized tree and uprooted it completely. It seemed Thulsa wanted to squash Balor with it!

The albino komrev walked towards Balor, snarling all the way. Balor just scoffed. "You're wasting your breath, seven toed monster!" Thulsa brought the uprooted tree down only for Balor to jump out of the way into the tree that Brigid, Kat and Kit were in. The uprooted tree broke in two as it hit the ground causing Thulsa to growl with rage. Balor just laughed. "Try again, Thulsa!"

At that moment Thulsa jumped into the tree after Balor. Brigid and the Wily's scattered as the albino komrev went after the evabon boy. Balor just kept jumping higher and higher until he reached the treetops. Thulsa followed the whole way, but tiring as he climbed and finding it harder to find branches that would support his weight.

Balor broke off a thick branch and threw it at Thulsa, hitting the albino in the head. He repeated this again with the same result. Thulsa threw his club down, nearly hitting Brigid, and did the unthinkable!

Thulsa jumped at Balor. Balor was situated on branches that would never support Thulsa's weight, so when Balor jumped to another tree Thulsa just ended up falling to the ground.

Brigid and the Wily's couldn't believe it! Balor had come out unharmed! He was crazy to have taken the risk that's what Kit was thinking. Brigid however thought he had been brave. And Kat? He felt he owed Balor and apology for his rather prejudiced comment from earlier.

Balor came down to see if Thulsa still lived. When he reached the ground, Thulsa leapt at him only to end up colliding with the tree Balor had come down from.

A young male komrev named Rexor, a friend of Balor, started to grunt a warning but it was too late! Another young male had hit Balor effectively knocking the boy out. A lot of the other males started to come closer to Balor to rip him apart only for Rexor and the older males to come to the rescue!

After a three-minute skirmish, those loyal to Thulsa had fled, banished! Never more, would they belong to the tribe!


	9. Chapter 9

**Welcome back everyone. Join me next week for my next story "Wilusa." Enjoy and review.**

**Crinan's Revenge**

When Balor came to, he found Thulsa already awake and walking away with his head down. He was banished, returning to where he came from.

Standing over Balor were Brigid and the Wily's. Balor sighed and stood up. "Everything worked out pretty well until that one komrev got me."

Kat put a hand on Balor's shoulder. "At least you didn't get killed!" He gave Balor a smile who smiled back. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I guess so… Can we leave the out the part of me being knocked out?"

Brigid and the Wily's all replied in unison with one word. "No!"

Balor looked down. He had ended up unconscious a few times just for once he wished he wouldn't. He'd probably end up with a reputation of constantly getting knocked out.

Thankfully, he wouldn't. As an adult, Balor would go on to become the Chieftain of Evabon at Wilusa but that was long away. A bit of shaman, a bit of warrior there was a lot of potential for both in Balor. He just wasn't willing to become the latter and scared of what could happen if he became the former.

He walked away in the direction Thulsa had gone in. "I'll see you back at the village, I need to clear my head."

Balor followed Thulsa, keeping a safe distance but the albino seemed to have been hurt both physically and emotionally. His pride had been wounded. And Balor? He wasn't as much hurt as confused. What did he want? For all he knew the only reason he was respected was because he was of Gard's bloodline. Sure, he had killed Sotark but too many people thought he had been lucky with there being a minority that believed Balor had great potential like Gard, Antaeus and many others before him.

And then Balor thought of Procyon. He had met Gard on the day of Procyon's cremation. He had heard of Procyon before meeting Gard and learning of his heritage, learning that Procyon was kin to him. Procyon had become a controversial figure in Evabon society. Some saw him as a heroic rebel and liberator others saw him as a bloodthirsty conqueror putting too much focus on the curse that was a bloodlust. Since Procyon was Gard's brother, Balor wondered if just being related to Procyon would affect how people thought of him.

It was not healthy for an eight year old to think of things such as this.

A sound of breaking branches caused Balor to stop thinking about what others thought of him.

He started to look around. Something was obviously coming. But what?

Crinan! Coming down from the trees, he fell on top of Thulsa and sank his fangs into the albino's neck until he reached the… What gruesomeness was this for a child to see?

Standing over Thulsa's corpse, Crinan looked at Balor and growled. He seemed to be saying "Just this once."

Thulsa was dead Crinan had his revenge. Revenge was not something that just people would seek, animals too. In many ways people and animals aren't that different.

Now that he had his revenge, Crinan walked away to return to his tribe. If there were a new leader, he would fight and take back the position he once had!

Walking over to the albino's husk, Balor put a hand on Thulsa's shoulder. There had to be ways in life that wouldn't require violence, that wouldn't result in death.

But those were thoughts for another time. Thulsa was dead. The farms of all people would be safe.

**The End**


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